Customize the Flavor

Customize the flavor of your homemade dark chocolates. I like to experiment and make different chocolate flavors. If you want to make flavored chocolate pour 1/2 cup of the melted chocolate mixture into a small bowl and then add the flavor of your choice. Make sure you taste as you go. You can always add more.

Extracts & Spices

• I have tried mint extract, English toffee extract, and Kahlua.
  • You need to be careful when adding extracts to chocolate as it can cause the chocolate to seize. It is best to wait until the chocolate mixture has cooled a little, add the extract very slowly, and mix really quickly.
• Instant coffee: 1/2 tsp to 1 TBSP depending on your preference.
  • I added 1 tsp. Add it while cacao butter and unsweetened baking chocolate are still melting in order to make dissolving the instant coffee easier.
• Chili powder: 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp
  • I added 1 tsp since Penguin likes spicy food and these had a serious kick.
• Smoked paprika: 1/2 tsp
  • I added 1/2 tsp Penzeys Spanish Style Smoked Paprika.
• Reduced red wine dessert sauce
  • I made a reduced red wine dessert sauce using Cabernet Sauvignon and Pure Monkfruit 30% Extract, but the sauce didn’t reduce as well as I would have liked and it was a little bitter.
  • The reduced red wine dessert sauce needs to be made with sugar or erythritol, and next time I would use a Zinfandel.

Add-Ins

• Fill candy molds with the chocolate mixture but leave a little room to add:
  • Dried cherries
    • I tried chopped frozen cherries, but frozen cherries have too much moisture so they do not work well.
  • Dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and pepita seeds
    • I used the Salad Topper from Costco.
  • Fresh lemon zest
    • I used the zest from one lemon for the 16 chocolates.